Virtual Browsing Exploration for MLibrary Audio Collection

Main menu

Hi-Fi

Aoide aims to offer a new perspective in the virtual browsing experience of the MLibrary music collection. Aoide functions as an extension to the MLibrary music collection, specifically to audio CD materials. However, as indicated in the user interviews, a large majority of students has specified that they have not checked out audio materials or they were unaware of such services. As for users who had checked out audio materials, we requested users to show us how they search for audio materials in the MLibrary. A large majority of users have indicated that they would use search engines in advance in retrieving a preliminary search result before entering the MLibrary Miryln system. More importantly, users responded that the MLibrary is not their initial choice in browsing materials.

On the homepage of Aoide, users are invited to a colorful main page. Aoide invites you to browse a variety of albums by artist that are similar to your preferences. We would like you to explore the relationship between artists’ albums in relationship to other similar performers.

The homepage is designed to be very simplistic, where we would like users to focus in on their designated search. At the bottom of the interface, frequently checked-out items by students are also listed as recommendations. For users who don’t have a particular album, artist, and song in mind, they can click on these icons to start the browsing exploration.

If you type in an artist name in the search bar, for example, “Janet,” the search result will yield artists recommendation that matches the artist you have indicated. This can be helpful when users cannot remember the name or album of the artist.

This will take you to an entirely new interface that will display a visualization that emphasizes the artist in relationship to a timeline on the album. An algorithm is computed in recommending similar artists. This will allow users to compare and contrast similar artists’ based on the genre of the artist and album you indicated. Albums are listed in a chronological timeline and solid line indicates that it is the main searched artist, while dash lines are recommended artists.

For example, Janet Jackson’s time line is placed in the middle of the interface, rather than at the start of the page.

Aoide wants to avoid the conventional perception of hierarchical listings, such as how searches are displayed in the current MLibrary and from search engines. Aoide wants to do something different. For example, Janet Jackson has soul, R&B and pop characteristic in her music. Artists such as Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson have been recommended based on the overlapping genres. However, some of these artists may have covered other genre characteristics that Janet Jackson did not cover. This can help users to explore other possibilities and styles in music.

After every browsing experience before rendering a new timeline, users will be asked whether if they are interested in saving their browsing history. Users can name the browsing history and have it saved as a file.

This will allow users to go back in their profile page to look up any browsing items they have in the past. It is important to note that only albums that the user have clicked are recorded, instead of saving the entire timeline of the albums that have been shown. Users can name the browsing history and have it saved as a file.

Browsed items are connected in a way that captures the browsing pattern and the albums you have explored. You can come back to your profile page to view all of your browsing history. Multiple icons below indicate different set of searches that the user has saved previously. If users want to know more about the specific album or artist they have explored they can click on the bubble, and a pop-up screen will be displayed to give more information on the artist or album.

Users can further customize this browsing list by using the different features. You can click on several options. For example, you can go back to the explore function of an album. You can further share this information or you can click on Get This to connect back to the Miralyn check-out service.

The favorite option allows users to further compile a specific collection to differentiate with their browsing history.

This is the favorite page. On the top, you have your favorite items. This provides as an indirect recommendation system. Furthermore, users are able to see popular items in their department. This is compiled by top checked-out items from their peers in their department. At the bottom, of the interface, users can go back to their browse history files to look at past searches and their browse patterns to avoid searching for a topic again. On the right, users will be able to see what they have previously checked out.